Reflecting on the Past
by Behaxeltzi
Summary: One shot where Balthier briefly reflects on the events in his life that lead to his decision to become a sky pirate. Largely exposition.


Reflecting on the Past

It was not with complete un-fondness that Balthier looked back upon his younger years, generally speaking his childhood had been a happy one. Things in his family hadn't fallen apart until his mid teens. He could still remember those carefree days, the days before he was Balthier, when he was still Ffamran mied Bunansa son of Cidolfus Demen Bunansa and Adelais Juno Bunansa, he'd had two older brothers too.

Even as a child Balthier or rather Ffamran had been the adventure seeking sort, spending his childhood climbing trees and finding his way into places he shouldn't. Often it was his older brothers that caught the blame for Ffamran's actions. This being said his parents were not completely oblivious to his trouble making; it was in fact in this that his father saw his potential. Ffamran showed himself to be intelligent, inquisitive, resourceful, a keen Learner and to be in possession of a certain level of brave recklessness. Dr Cid foresaw a great future for his youngest son.

Ffamran's oldest brother Adelmar was a scholar who pursed his own independent inquiries, but also worked as a private tutor to other upper-class Arcadian families. He also tutored Ffamran more than a little. Junius the middle child was a researcher alongside his father at the Draklor Laboratory. In their daily lives the Bunansa family had want for nothing and many years passed without incident or consequence. There were times when Dr Cid became so absorbed in his research that he barely came home, but in these instances Junius would keep everyone up to date, Adelmar and Ffamran would also be permitted to visit him at the lab. Then when he finally returned home life would carry on as was normal.

Then shortly after Ffamran turned sixteen his father made him a judge, one of the elites among the Arcadian military. Though not truly thrilled with the position he took it up regardless in order to please his father, his specialty having been piloting.

His young age coupled with his social standing made Ffamran a sure target for some bullying and ribbing from other soldiers; however despite the hard time that some were intent to give him Ffamran soldiered on and bore with it so as not to be a disappointment. Shortly after this was when his father left for an expedition into the mist continent to see what lied there. Whilst there he discovered the ancient city of Giruvegan, but he found something else as well, no that his family could see though.

It was at this time that things took a bad turn for the family. Dr Cid became more and more obsessed with his work, more obsessed than they had ever seen him. He became estranged from the family even from Junius with whom he worked. However this was not all that worried the rest of his small family. They had noticed in the scarce times that they did see their father that he had taken to muttering to himself and talking to and referring to someone that didn't seem to be there. Ffamran and his older brothers continuously tried to talk sense into their father but he only grew ever more distant, with the except of Ffamran upon whom he started to place his greater expectation and sharing his machinations about putting "the rains of history back into the hands of man."

Dr Cid grew ever more distant as time continued to pass, only ever wanting to talk about that which he obsessed driving a wedge between him and his family. It was the worry, loneliness and the brothers expected a broken heart with which their mother fell ill and eventually passed away. Despite the loss of his wife Dr Cid did not even seem to slow down, in fact many may have remarked at the time he seemed only to speed up and attack his work with more vigour than before. Whatever it was that the man was capture by the brothers did not see that it would be worth it, fore what could be worth the loss of the ones you love? The loss of your family?

It was with the loss of his mother and the apparent mental decline of his father coupled with the disturbing direction with which the Arcadian Empire was moving that led to Ffamran's eventual decision to leave his home his family, abandoning his post as a judge and absconding with the empires newest prototype.

With a heavy heart did he abandon his remaining family as well as his name. Instead taking up the name Balthier for which he was now well known, as well as taking up the occupation of sky pirate. For ever free to traverse the skies but also free to run from the things he wished to forget for as long as he chose.

He hoped that his brothers did not think to ill of him for leaving and for the life he had led since, but he would not have been able to stay there. He just couldn't bare it, to watch his family fall apart like that and to see his father change like that. He already witnessed his mother's demise from illness and heart ache; he didn't want to see what happened next so he ran away.

"Something troubles you."  
A voice soft spoken yet resolute cut through Balthier's depressing trek through his memory like a knife through butter. He turned away from the rain drenched window through which he had been absently staring.  
"It's nothing...just...baggage," he said now turning fully from the window.  
"Do you regret your choice?" Asked Balthier's ever present Viera companion and partner in crime.  
"Not regret as such, just wondering if there is something I could...should have done differently," he answered.  
"We all wonder such things," Fran said sitting beside the man she had chosen to be with, trying to be a comfort to him in one of his rare spells of depression. He was usually more cheerful even if somewhat cynical and sarcastic.  
"Besides," he started, "I wouldn't change what I have now for the world," he finished standing up.

An adventure with maybe some treasure at the end of it would be enough to chase his blues away.  
"Let's be off shall we Fran?" He asked with a wink and a cheeky smile as he prepared himself for a new adventure.


End file.
